Mechanism for creping paper



Jan. 29, 1946. F P, WQQD 2,393,672

MECHANISM FOR CREPING PAPER Filed J,une 26, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 29, "s` @ai WV Mmmm 2,393,672

MEGHANISM FOR CREPING PAPER Filed June 26, 1,944 5 Sheets-Shea?. 2

- Jan. 29, 1946. F. P. WDOD 2,393,672

MECHANISM FOR CREPING PAPER Filed June 26, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet, 5

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Jan. 29, 1946. F. P. wooD MECHANISM FOR CREPINGl PAPER Filed June 26, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jan. 29, 1946. F P, wom 2,393,672`

MECHANISM FOR CREPI'NG PAPER Filed June 26, 1944 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ,presentinventiom' Patented 29, 1946 f UtNi'l'-Dl f ISTAT PAT ENT opplcgj I1uiiciiiiurs1nnon. emmers-iran. Frederick P. wooagndrim, nnen., minor ze imple; Paper Corporation, "Adriaxi, Michl. a

corporation of Mlchlnn y -V l nppuesuon .tunezaisiasemi No. 542,224

"' comms. (c1. 1549530)v The mechanism of this invention involves; the crepins of paper in transit, whilebeing' continuously fed from a'roll, by means of concurrently traveling crimper bars which in close succession engase the paper surface along lines bf :spaced contact ypoints which progressively draw closer together as the paper advances, thereby imparting minute crimps or indentations4 in the surface which render the completed vstrip elastic in all directions. This result can be attained either by an embossing o r indentingaction 'on theV paper r web or by a pinching action which producesniinute folds, with a resultant narrowing of the web and both of these 'variations inthe operation are deemed tobe within the range of the present inventionsince the active crimper bars are substantially the same iny each case while amere variation in backing which supports the paper web will modify the nature ofthercompressive action imparted to the paper surface-with a resultant dinerence inthe crimping.

' Further oblects andidetails will aripearjironi the following specitlcation in commotion with l the accompanying drawings wherein:

rieure 1 is a side elevation, paruyfbroken sway of one'tirpe` of machine adapted to-operate-in conformity with the .indenting principle of. the

Figs. 2,l 3 andi are detailsof one of the crimper bars showingthe positions it progressively` assumes and taken respectively on lines 2-1-2, 3`-3, andi-loing. 1: l

Figs. 5 and 6 are enlarged/details 4of a portion oi'one of the crimper bars showing the teeth along its acting 4face in openand contracted r'elation respectively;

Fig. 7 is an end elevation? of the machine look" of the g machine into which the paper is fed: l

ing toward the lrear end Fig. 8 is a perspective detail ofthe connections for the ends of the crimper bars;

Fig. 9 is a side elevation'ofa modified form of the indentis tyDeof machine;

Figs. `1o and 1 1 are enna-geo detalls er? a type of crimper vbar for use on the machine of Fig. 9;

Figs. 12 vand 413 are side elevations of two mathesoft' surface ofthe drumby a multiplicity of closely spaced flexible crimper: bars 2l" formed of relatively thin flexible steelV or the like which w bars at their endsv terminate in loops 2l connected-by stackles 21'withthelinksof a pairy of spaced endless'chains 2l; Thefchains are cai--y ried around front and rear `pairs oi'lower sprcck= ets and lllf respectively; the front sprockets being vmounted. upon a: shaft-'IIl `and the rear The lower v sprockets upon a rear shaft 32. sprockets cooperate with the front and'x'ear pairs 'of upper, sprockets 32 andA ll mounted upon shafts I5 and I8 which are journalled in any suitable manner. 1 l

.Certain of the sprockets, asffory instance, the rear sprockets constitutethe driving'sp'rockets'` for imparting` travel to the .endless chains'r the lower turns of which travel in arcuately convergingrelation to theY surface'of the drum. and are slidable within guide members 31 mounted uponthe frame of the machine.

The connection between the looped endv of y each of the crimper bars, and the vshackle which surface contact with thek chines of modified forniadapted to pinch the paper surface in the formation of minute plaits;y

and n v Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the l backing plate oithemachine of Fig. 13 t f The machine of. Fig. 1 employs a backing drum 20 having a facing layer 2i of relatively soit yieldins material such as rubber over which the connects it with the-adlacent chain is of ve. character to permit a sliding movement in order to compensate for the ilattening down ofthe crin'lperA bars asV they lapproach the discharge side of the The crimper bars, which are initially -bowed downwardly by contact with the underl .surface oi'sl centrally disposediixed shoe 3 9 will first maketangent contact-withl the drum surface atthe center, and as thev 'chains advance -in registeringv surface speed with the drum. the crimper-bars willbe progressively straightened out and will thereby prcgressivelyincrease their ly around the drum surface.l

The iront end 409 o! the ilxed shoeis loopedV upwardly toiind supportupon the shaftll while 'the-rear end -ll is likewise looped upwardly' to4 find support upon the shaft I2..l zExcept for the looped ends, which simplyfserve` as; hangers, the

shoe (or shoes) extends from front-torcer oi the backing plate, i. e. the ,peripheral surface of the drum; andin close proximity toits` longitudinal center, the spacing being`sumci`ent only paper web P is fed, by the rotation of the drum its to permit the relatively crimper bars and paperiweblying smooththe paper web to travel through the space thus afforded, with the crimper bars in progressively increasing contact throughout with the upper surface of the paper web and progressively in creasing the area toward the edges of the paper web which is being subjected to embossing pressure against the yielding surface of the drum.

As the lower turns of the chains pass around and under the forward lower sprockets, the middle of each crimper bar will in turn pass under the fixed shoe so that as the chains advance, the crimper bars will initially be bowed downwardly in the center ,to the maximum extent, and thereafter, as the chains continue to advance, the

convergency of the chains running through the guides 31 toward the surface of the drum will cause the crimper bars to progressively straighten out as indicated in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, while at the same time establishing progressive contact with the paper surface which as it is embossed will by degrees draw in or narrow itself as a result of the indenting of its surface but without any tendency to rupture since the compressive 4embossure progresses gradually from the center toward the edges and by degrees which do not exceed the capacity of the paper web to withstand rupture.

'I'he crimping is effected byteeth of the character indicated in Figs. 5 and 6. Each of the crimper bars is of suiiicient thickness to permit the formation, in its under face, of teeth or bosses 42, the tips of which compressively enlgage the uppersurface of the paper web and press the same into the surface of the drum. In the bowed or flexed condition shown in Fig. 5, the tips of the teeth will be spread apart to a greater degree than when-the crimper bar is straightened as in Fig. 6, so that as the paper web advances, the teeth, in progressively increasing number, will make contact with the surface of the paper concurrently with its forward travel through the machine.

A doctor blade 43 serves to strip the paper from the side of the drum after which the paper web is wound up or otherwise disposed of.

In Figs. 9--12 I have shown a modied form of construction embodying the same general principle of operation, in which, however, the relative configuration of the drum and the crimper bars is reversed'as compared with the arrangement first described.

In this construction, the rubber surfaced drum 44 is of .barrel shape being bulged or convexly rounded outwardly around its center. 'I'he crimper bars 45 will initially lie fiat and make tangent contact with the center of the drum surface and will be progressively flexed downwardly as they advance over and around the drumV until at the discharge side they will be bowed or arched to the fullest extent so that as the paper is fed forwardly under the crimper bars, it will be carried up and over the bulging surface of the drum, and its edges progressivelyv flexed downwardly in greater and greater degree as the area of contact between thelcrimper bars and the yielding drum surface is progres-l presented on the concave faces of the crimper' ascacvs bars and hence will contract as the concavity of the bars increases due to the progressive fiexure. 'I'he ends of the bars are secured to chains 4 1 by loops and shackles of the character rst described, and the chains are mounted and driven in the same manner as in the case of the machine of Fig. 1. In this instance also the paper is stripped away by a doctor blade 48 which is curved to conform to the curvature of the backing platey at its discharge end.

The machines of Figs. 12 and 13 employ crimper bars and mountings therefor which are substantially identical with those previously described, but instead of a backing drum which rotates with the advancing crimper bars to establish a progressively increasing contact therewith,

I employ a fixed backing plate having a surface contour which is complementary to the contour collectively presented by the series of crimper bars while actively engaging the paper, so that the paper surface will be subjected to an overall compressive contact with the crimpers as it moves through the machine, while the teeth progressively contract in the manner first described and thus draw in the paper from the edges of the web in the formation of a multiplicity of folds or plaits running lengthwise of the paper web.

In order to thus maintain extended surface contact between the paper and the crimper bars, Iprovide a backing plate which may be configured like the plate 49 of Fig. 12 or like the plate 50 of Figs. 13 and 14. The plate 49 coacts with crimper bars, which like those of the machine of Fig. 1, are initially bowed downwardly to the maximum degree and are serrated by teeth 5| which will be distended or spread apart to the maximum degree at the entering end 52 of the backing plate, which is trough shaped to maximum depth at this end, but which gradually flattens out toward its discharging end 53 to conform to the flattening down of the crimper bars as they travel above its surface and compress the paper web thereon and maintain overall compressive surface contact therewith from end to end of the backing plate.

With the toothed faces of the crimper bars thus in compressive engagement with the paper surface at all points. the teeth will gradually contract as the crimper bars are straightened out, and this will have the effect of progressively drawing in the paper toward the center, in the formation of minute folds or plaits which will gradually close up as the crimper teeth contract in the straightening out of the crimper bars.

In the machine of Figs. 13 and 14 the crimper bars and their mountings are arranged in a manner identical with that of the machine of Fig. 9, but in lieu of a rotating barrel shaped drum, I employ the fixed backing plate 50 which is flat at the end 54 where the paper enters and which is progressively arched upwardly in greater and greater degree, after the manner of an inverted trough, to conform to the progressively increasing ilexure of the crimper bars which present their toothed acting faces downwardly to effect the 'closing or contracting of the teeth as the ilexure of the crimper bars increases. The crimping or plaiting'action, however, is substantially thev same as that of the machine of Fig. 12, and it will be understood that other variations in the path of travel of the crimper bars can be introduced so long as provision is made for the closing oi the crimper teeth in accordance with the prinaseaeva parting longitudinal crimps or minute plaits unlformly across thesurfaoe of a paper web, which is constantly contactedl across its entire width lby the crimper teeth throughout a widely extended area. In either case the paper web will be drawn or fed through the machine by the pinching action of the advancing teeth, so that as ,the teeth contract, the web throughout will necessarily be under extended contact therewith, but the drawing in and resultant narrowing of the paper web will accrue gradually so that excessive and abrupt stresses which might tend to rupture the web are which consists essentially in the provision of a multiplicity of toothed crimper bars which by their progressive exure, serve to engage the paper surface, and thus crimp the paper.

The general structure of the machine itself and l the means employed for mounting and actuating the crimper bars to effect the above result may be widely modiiied without departing from 1the basic principles of the present invention.

I claim:

1..In a machine for creping paper, the combination of a backing element adapted to support a traveling paper web, a plurality of flexible creper bars provided on their inner faces with spaced teeth adapted to be brought into contiguous compressive relation to the backing element to engage the paper surface while supported thereon, carrier elements for the ends of the creper bars, means for advancing the carrier elements in unison with the advance of the paper web, and means for varying the ilexure of the creper bars concurrently with their advance to reduce the spread of the teeth while the creper bars are in compressive relation to the backing element. i

2. Ina machine for creping paper, the combination of a rotating drum adapted to support a traveling paper web, a plurality of iiexible creper bars provided on theirinner faces with spaced teeth adapted to be brought into contiguous compressive relation to the rotating drum to engage the paper surface while supported thereon, carrier elements for the ends of the creper bars, means for advancing the carrier elements in unison with the surface speed of the drum, and means for varying thel flexure of the creper bars concurrently with their advance to reduce the spread of the teeth while the creper bars are in compressive relation to4 the rotating 8. In a machine for creping paper, the combination of a drum adapted to support andv advance a paper web, and means for rotating the same. a plurality of exible toothed creper bars 65 extending lengthwise of the drum, carrier elements to which the ends of the creper'bars are attached. and means for advancing the same and guide members for directing the advance of the carrier elements to bring the bars successively toward and into progressive contact with the 5 drum, and adapted by ilexure to bring an increasing length of each creper bar outwardly from the point of initial contact into compressive relation with the drum surface as the creper bars advance and register in increasing degree with the contour of the drum surface.

4. In a machine for creping paper, the combination of a drum adapted to support and advance a paper web and means for rotating the same, a plurality of flexible toothed creper bars extending lengthwise of the drum, endless spaced carrier chains and sprocket mountings therefor to which chains the ends of the creper bars are attached, and guide members for directing the advance of the carrier chains, and adapted to bring an increasing contact length of each creper bar outwardly from the center to the ends thereof into compressive relation with the drum as the creper bars advance, after their medial portions initially come into compressive relation there. with and during a progressive variation of the flexure of the creper bars as the same register in increasing degree with the contour of the drum surface.

5. In a machine i'or creping paper, the com 30 bination of a drum adapted to support and advance a paper web, andmeans for rotating the same, a plurality of flexible creper bars extending lengthwise of the drum having teeth adapted to have their spread varied as the rlexure of the $5 creper bars is varied, carrier elements to which the ends of the creper bars are attached, and guide members for directing the advance of the carrier elements, and adapted to bring an increasing contact length of each creper bar out- 40 wardly from the center to the ends thereof into compressive relation with the drum as the creper bars advance, after their medial portions initially .Y

come into compressive relation therewith and during a progressive variation of thefiexure of the creper bars as the same register in increasing degree with the contour of the drum surface. the teeth being so located as to reduce their spread as the creper bars advance.

6. In a machine for creping paper the combination of a plurality of flexible creper bars, spaced carrier elements to which the ends of the bars are attached, and means for advancing the carrier elements, the creper bars being provided with teeth which are adapted to vary their spread es the bars are flexed, a backing element in proxi mate relation to the line of travel of the creper bars, and guide members for the carrier elements, adapted in conjunction therewith, to vary the flexure oi' the creper .bars as they advance to thereby reduce-the spread of the teeth, the surface contour of the backing element being complementary to the progressive ilexure of the creper bars to hold the paper web in compressive relation with the creper bars as the teeth progressively contract during the advance of the bars.

FREDERICK P. WOOD. 

